5


 * < [[image:DivineIZ.jpg width="214" height="320"]]

>            Divine  Mother, Certified Lactation Counselor, Doula, Prenatal Health Coach & Traditional Herbalist > >            ||   || In the United States, African-American babies are twice as likely to die before their first birthday. The racial and ethnic disparities in prenatal and newborn care in the US are astonishing. We know that good nutrition is the building block to a healthy pregnancy. As birth workers, are we giving culturally competent nutritional assessments? Are we providing nutritional suggestions that take into account the mother’s ethnic background and personal food history? This presentation will take a look at specific foods eaten in Africa, the Caribbean and the American South that can give both mothers and their babies a healthy start. We will also discuss foods that support health issues specific to pregnant women of African descent, such as Sickle Cell Anaemia, Vitamin D deficiency, and Premature Labor. ||